cut small pattern with jigsaw on small piece of plywood


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Old 08-14-14, 07:52 AM
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cut small pattern with jigsaw on small piece of plywood

I need to cut a small pattern with a jigsaw- the plywood piece I need to cut the pattern out of is about 18" wide by 12" high- Are there any tips/tricks to trying to cut the pattern out of a piece this small? I've cut patterns out of a full sheet of plywood which makes cutting easier... the smaller the wood- the harder it seems to get to cut safely
 
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Old 08-14-14, 08:09 AM
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Hi skinut,
How intricate is the cutting, ie very fine details?
How many pieces do you need to cut, just one or many?
How thick is the plywood?

Safety shouldn't be a big issue with a jigsaw or scroll saw, the terms are often interchanged. If it is a sabre saw, a bit more difficult, but a narrow quality blade should make it easy and safe.

What is your safety concern?

Bud
 
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Old 08-14-14, 08:17 AM
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I think it depends on how intricate your object is and how thick the material. For detailed work I like a fine toothed blade and if you have to make tighter turns a narrower blade can turn sharper. Holding your piece of material might be the most difficult and if it becomes a problem you can temporarily glue or screw it to a larger piece of scrap material. In one case I sat on the floor and held the jigsaw upside down with my feet so I had both hands free for the material and used it like an impromptu table saw.
 
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Old 08-14-14, 09:35 AM
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My son at age 6 made this plywood cutting board for his grandmother for Christmas, using a sabre saw and wood burner, 40 years ago so you can surely do it.

Next visit with him I'll ask how he did it and see if his memory has failed. I wouldn't allow him to run power tools at that age so he had to make it while I was at work.
 
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Old 08-14-14, 09:48 AM
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I don't recall ever using it between my feet, but do have a something like 50 year old jig saw with a switch on the side, rather than a trigger, which makes it easy to clamp in a vise for certain things. I suppose that you could clamp the trigger back on a saw, but not sure how well modern housings would work as far as clamping in a vise. I have also laid small pieces on a larger piece, with pieces of the same thickness laid on all four sides, screwed to the bottom piece, which holds the piece I am cutting in place, as well as provides additional base for the saw. With a piece about 12" by 18" to start with though, it seems like you should have plenty of room to safely hold it over the edge of a bench to cut it.
 
 

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